Thanks - we are doing an addition on our 1920s foursquare farmhouse style home. And were leaning towards a white cabinet kitchen with dark countertops. I felt like soapstone would be a nice balance between the popular white kitchen/dark countertop style that is popular now and an older more classic kitchen from the period. I like the softer look that soapstone has as opposed to the glossy granite. Our house now has little nicks in our oak floors and panel doors. I don't think that looks bad. It's my impression that soapstone would age the same way. My husband is worried it would look bad after time though and need a lot of maintenance.

If we have a larger kitchen countertop/island etc would the seams be a distraction?

Soap stone is a lovely material. Many people will oil their soap stone to maintain the luster (not shine...luster) and the depth of colour. The other reason for oiling the stone = to hide "oil spots" that show up on the stone.

As soap stone ages, it dries and gets a little lighter. If you have a bottle of olive oil sitting on the counter, the oil left behind will leave a slightly darker oil ring. To get rid of the oil ring = oil the stone. It makes everything the same depth of colour.

Natural stones need maintenance. Soap stone is no different...it just requires a different maintenance material. A high end oil for soap stone can be purchased from your supplier and maintained by you...the homeowner. Other natural stones require sealants, etc.

Mineral oil is the most recommended sealer for soapstone.

http://vermontsoapstone.com/caring-for-soapstone/

As I said, you can come very close to the look of soapstone with HONED simple and black grnite. But soapstone's organic and "soft" look is a beautiful thing. If you need 100% "perfect" 100% of the time....it's not a look for you. But sounds like you rather like a bit of imperfection here and there. And it is a VERY logical choice in a home such as yours, I can not think of a more appropriate choice! Quite honestly, it's what I'd be recommending. No law says your island will have a seam....depends on the actual size, and the slab : ) Might want to visit a stone fabricator near you.

Extremely glad I picked soapstone. Easy to maintain and very forgiving.

Honed Jet mist (AKA Virginia mist) granite looks remarkably similar to soapstone, and is very durable and easy to clean. Nothing penetrates it and it avoids the speckly shiny granite look of the 90s.

Absolute black honed also looks similar to soapstone

So confused...I Love soapstone buy my quote is $1,500 more than a honed/leathered granite in Cambrian black. Im okay with the initial maintenance of soapstone but the thing I'm worried about is the chips at counter edges. I don't live in a farm house but in a suburban neighbourhood colonial replica house. My husband likes the granite for price and says the look is similar (only has seen pictures). I have picked white shaker cabinetry and have oak floors. i keep reading conflicting reports on the honed and leathered granite...re: showing rings etc. Are you happy with your honed or leather ed granite as a soapstone look? Is leather easier than soapstone? Does food get stuck in crevices of leather? I do love soapstone when I see it knew and would pay extra but am so afraid the worn in look might make my kitchen look old and dirty not "loved" with patine. Please help!

I have jet mist granite (thanks Diane Bier for reminding me of the name) polished, not honed. It is definitely reminiscent of soapstone and honed would be even more so, so if you want granite over soapstone because of maintenance concerns I'd consider that.

We have a slightly veined and white speckled soapstone in our guest bathroom. I love it. I would have put it in the kitchen if we had been able to get enough of it.

Thanks...I live in southern Ontario and can't find jet mist granite here would love to have seen it as everybody seems happy with it. As well...there is a soapstone following out there. Considering how we live (3 kids, two teens) ....I'm leaning towards the honed or leather granite ...thinking less chipping, less maintenance. Am I right to think this honed and leathered granite owners? Thx

i have honed absolute black on my island (shows oil rings, they wash off with soapy sponge); i love the look of soapstone and it would have been appropriate in our 1870 house, but i wasnt interested in any "patina drama". friends have a counter between their dining room and living room with it, and the oiling makes it impossible to casually set a handbag, jacket, whatever down. forget it, my kitchen serves me, not the other way around.

i went with marble-look quartz on the perimeters.

all that said, do you have one section of your counters that you could do the soapstone if you arent sure about committing to it all over?

Thx nnigrt! I have one main wall with stove and sink the island for eating/prep. It was suggested to me to keep both counters the same as its really a galley style not an L shape or u. How is the marble Quartz holding up? Love the marble looking Quartz counters.

Soapstone is comparable to the pricing of the higher end granites and Silestone. Most natural stones like granite and marbles need to be periodically sealed to prevent staining, in fact some stones even after being sealed will still stain. Soapstone is a very dense/non porous stone which will not absorb anything. We have installed soapstone tops and sinks in many acid rooms and chemistry labs, because the stone is so non porous and resistant to acids, chemicals and heat. Since it is a softer stone, it could get scratched by items that wouldn’t normally scratch a granite, but, these scratches are easily removed with a light sanding, done by the homeowner with little effort.

my quartz has been in less than a year, but nothing has happened to it, and i'm a vigorous cook....